Sign-In
Cart
The Old Peabody Pew: A Christmas Romance of a Country Church
Paperback
RomanceClassic FictionGeneral Fiction
Publisher Price: $13.99
ISBN13: 9781835524718
Publisher: Sorens Books
Published: Jun 4 2026
Pages: 42
Weight: 0.27
Height: 0.09 Width: 8.50 Depth: 11.00
Language: English
The Old Peabody Pew is a novella written by Kate Douglas Smith Wiggin, an American author known for her works in children's literature. The book was first published in 1907 and is considered a classic of American literature. Unlike her more famous work, Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, this novella is more of a reflective and nostalgic piece rather than a children's story.
The story is set in a New England village and is narrated by the church pew itself, which has witnessed generations of congregants. The Old Peabody Pew has been a silent observer of the community's joys, sorrows, and spiritual experiences. As it recounts its long history, it offers a glimpse into the lives of the various people who have occupied it over the years.
The central focus of the novella is the romance between two characters, young lovers Theodora and Tilly. Their story unfolds within the context of their experiences at the village church, where the Old Peabody Pew plays a significant role as the place where they sit during services. The pew's perspective allows readers to see how Theodora and Tilly's relationship evolves and how it intertwines with the life of the church and the broader community.
Wiggin's narrative in The Old Peabody Pew is characterized by its nostalgic and sentimental tone, evoking a sense of the past and the enduring nature of tradition. The novella explores themes of love, faith, community, and the passage of time. It reflects on the changing dynamics of a small-town society and the way people's lives are interconnected within the framework of a church and a shared history.
While The Old Peabody Pew may not be as well-known as some of Kate Douglas Wiggin's other works, it remains a valuable piece of literature for its evocative storytelling and its ability to capture the essence of a bygone era. It provides a glimpse into the life and culture of a New England village and the enduring power of human connection through the lens of a seemingly ordinary church pew.
Also from
Kate Douglas Smith Wiggin
Also in
General Fiction
Elizabeth Spencer: Novels & Stories (Loa #344): The Voice at the Back Door / The Light in the Piazza / Knights and Dragons / Stories
Spencer, Elizabeth
Hardcover
Anniversaries, Volume 2: From a Year in the Life of Gesine Cresspahl, April 1968-August 1968
Johnson, Uwe
Paperback
Philip Roth: Novels 1973-1977 (Loa #165): The Great American Novel / My Life as a Man / The Professor of Desire
Roth, Philip
Hardcover
Selected Writings: Robert Musil: Young Torless, Three Women, the Perfecting of a Love, and Other Writings
Musil, Robert
Agee, Joel
Paperback
Before Gatsby: The First Twenty-Six Stories
Bruccoli, Matthew J.
Baughman, Judith
Fitzgerald, F. Scott
Paperback